24 Hours in AFRICA!

July 25th

7:00pm: Have supper with Alexis and Jackie, a couple doing Young Life in Arusha, Tanzania…he is Congolese and she Tanzanian. We were also joined by an American couple doing Young Life at the local international school. We eat at a Western Hambuger place and I enjoyed a ‘foreign tasting’ cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake. Such a treat after a week of meats, rice and potatoes.

9:30pm: Get ready for bed…sleep on and off the next few hours…feels more like rest than sleep.

July 26th

2:15am: Wake up to get ready to go to the airport! Our flight is to leave at 6 am, but we need to arrive 2 hours before so our seats don’t get given away (that happens here)…and it takes an hour to get to airport so that’s why the early rise.

3:00am: A taxi comes to pick us up. We say goodbye to our hosts who got out of bed to unlock the gate and see us off.

3:30am: Taxi (traveling around 100km! with loud African music playing in the car) stops along side of the road as the trunk light keeps coming on. After much maneuvering of our luggage, the trunk will not latch…its now broken. We pray our bags stay still, especially as mine is on the top. He drops the speed to only 80 so as we fly over the speed bumps our things don’t go flying.

3:50am: We arrive at the Kilimanjaro Airport to find a group of about 10 people already waiting outside. To our surprise the airport isn’t even open yet!

4:50am: After waiting an hour in the early morning cold, the airport doors finally open and our flight is meant to leave in an hour! Once in, our wait doesn’t end there…we have to wait for the security machines to turn on and then for an attendant to come to the desk. The first blessing was our bags were able to be checked through…mine to Entebee, Uganda and my parents through to London. Luggage is a tricky thing here and you PRAY like mad that everything firstly arrives to your destination and then intact! The second blessing was a good friend from Seattle, Jeff Vancil who had been at the conference the previous week was on our flight.

5:25am: Wait in another queue (getting used to this!) for the immigration officer to come to work to check our passports.

6:00am: Board plane…on time, can you believe it?!

7:20am: Arrive into the Nairobi, Kenya airport and say goodbye to my parents! I will not be seeing until December when I return to Tacoma for Christmas.

10:00am: Arrive in Entebee, Uganda! I am overjoyed to find my bag and also my driver named Patrick who Hen and Harry had arranged to pick me up and take me to their town of Jinja. I didn’t have a firm idea of the length of my journey ahead. I had told Patrick that I would probably fall asleep in the car but the ride ended up being so eye-opening it was hard to shut my eyes. Its too difficult to capture everything I saw on that ride…basically it was pure AFRICA…people shopping, living life, animals wandering, children playing, men drinking, women carrying all sorts of objects on their heads, red dust flying, exhaust looming, cars zooming and tooting…and eye opening billboards like the one that showed a middle age Ugandan man on it saying “Would you let this man sleep with your teenage daughter? – So why are you sleeping with his? – Cross generational sex must stop with you.” (!!!) The car was hot and sticky as there was no air conditioning and my window was broken in the back.

12ish: Driving in and out of cars at over 100km! Just praying that I would arrive to my destination in one piece. At one point we are stopped in the road to stand still traffic. What is going on? It looked as if a terrible accident was ahead. Where people injured? Would I be stuck on this road for hours with Patrick? Would we have to get out and walk…me the only white woman I had seen since the airport?! Just then Patrick overheard what was happening ahead and laughed…two big semi trucks were in a huge accident and one was a beer truck and beer bottles were all over the road…so many people were getting out of cars and buses to grab free beer. Finally about 10 min later we were able to get through the wreckage…I was so thankful!

1:15pm: Arrive in Jinja to Hen and Harry Ferdinando’s home. My body aches and I am exhausted but grateful to get out of the car. They have been invited to a Ugandan catholic ordination party, honoring the brother in law of one of their new friends here named Apollo…we are to leave as soon as possible. As I am eating a quick lunch…my first meal since the plane that morning…I hear we will be leaving a bit later and I jump into bed for a quick cat nap!!

3:15pm: Leave for the ordination party…we pile into the Ferdinando’s forerunner. Along the way we pick up Apollo and his sister. Again, I am in a car (!)…as we continue to drive we eventually make our way out of the city and onto a main, non-paved road! We journey on this for nearly an hour and a half, not kidding!!! My butt is numb from bouncing and my eyes are hurting to stay open. The blessing was Hen and I had a great time to catch up on the journey. I think H&H thought it was going to be near by…but this was ages away and there was no turning back!

5:30pm: Arrive to a village church. Due to the fact we are white, we are surrounded by people who just stare at us or children who want to come up and touch us. I have been in these situations before but this was a little overwhelming. It was a big deal to the family that whites had come. The little service was surprisingly quick and then we headed back in the car to attend the ‘party’ (which was very much behind schedule…not a surprise in Africa).

6:00pm: On arrival we are shown the best seats. They had brought their couches from inside out onto the dirt. We were meant to surround the man being honored even though we had never met him before. They were treating us like we were the center of attention and not the graduate!!! It was totally awkward…but hey you go with the flow when you are in a different culture. Our plan was to leave by 6 as the sun goes down right at 7 and its extremely dangerous to drive at night (we had a long ride home)…H & H have only done it once while being here. As you can imagine on these unpaved roads with no margins or lines, or street lights…plus people and animals walking all over the place!!! We find we are stuck, and need to stay a bit longer as they have prepared dinner for us. So we eat…and eat…and eat. I’m just praying that it sits well in my stomach.

7:00pm: We finally get out of there…its almost dark. The journey home is LONG. Eventually after bouncing for a half an hour I feel as if I’m going to throw-up…there is no where to stop so I just close my eyes and pray I make it home!!!

9:30pm: We get back home!!! We made it in the dark, Harry did an amazing job driving. I slowly crawl out of the car praying I make it to the bed…I haven’t slept in 19 hours! We get to the door…and guess what?...the electricity is out. Oh joy. I feel my way to the bathroom and with a little flashlight that Harry gave me try and take out my contacts and brush my teeth. My stomach remains upset but I figure sleep is the best remedy.

10:00pm: GOOD NIGHT…from Africa…

Love you all! Bryna

A Few Stories from Tanzania

Written on July 19th:

Currently I am in Arusha, Tanzania. I arrived a few days ago after a long day of three flights! I awoke at 4:30am in Cape Town to catch a 6:20am flight to Johannesburg. From Jo’Berg I then took a flight to Nairobi, Kenya. I was united there with my mum who had arrived a few hours earlier from the States via London and Darfur…and then we waited for my Dad who joined us from Uganda. Quite the international family I know…we were so blessed to have arrived and with luggage intact too. We then took a flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. I had an amazing view of the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro from the air plane…it was a treat to see and many come to Tanzania and never see the cloud covered masterpiece (the tallest mountain in Africa).

We are staying at a beautiful hotel which is housing the ‘Arusha Jesus Reunion’…there are over 15 nationalities represented and the majority from African countries. Everyone here is involved in various ministries around the continent, mostly mentoring the youth of their countries in the principals of Jesus. It has made me laugh being in this hotel as it is known as one of the nicest hotels in the city. What we take for granted in the Western world is immense…don’t expect hot (or even luke warm showers), non-leaking showers or toilets, toilet seats, bath mats, working lamps & much moreJ

My roommate is a sweet eighteen year old girl named Jamaima from Liberia. She has been living in the home of a mentor and his family the past 8 years. What I gather from hearing little bits of her story is that she left home at 10 to live in this home, as her family situation was quite difficult (I think she lost some of her family members in the war). She has talked a lot of war and other hardships that her country has faced. We were surprised last night to learn that we have the very same birthday, yet ten years a part…what a fun coincidence! In here broken English I am getting about 70% of what she says so it is taking a lot of brain power to engage and keep conversations up. Last night she was telling me about the time they had to escape from their home bare footed into the bushes as someone was arriving to their house to try and murder her mentor. She has lived as a refuge in neighboring countries at least two times in her life.

Funny Stories:
- This afternoon I sat at a table with Jemaima my roommate from Liberia and two guys from Rwanda. We were telling them the coincidence that we both had the same birthday on June 10th. Paul, one of the Rwandese told me he was born in 1984. I asked him what his exact birthday was and he said he didn’t know and didn’t have a date! (I learned later that this is quite common among Africans as birthdays tend to not be celebrated and due to the amount of orphans, exact dates get lost). I told him that he should pick a birth date so people can celebrate with him each year. Then, after a little bit of thought he said that he was going to choose June 10th too…he was very excited and said he would write it in his calendar when he got home. I can’t believe this 25 year old had never celebrated a birthday! I look forward to sending him a card next year and celebrating him and his life!

- I woke up this morning (July 18th) to find that my cosmetics in the bathroom has all been looked through and sampled. I guess my roommate was fascinated by my things and trying things out...(I learned later that she thought they belonged to the hotel). I tried to not let it bother me, and quickly reorganized my stuff. However, before we went down to breakfast I saw her in the bathroom quickly using my deodorant! During our morning coffee break I came up to the room and put my cosmetics in my suitcase…I don’t mind sharing if she asks…but to be honest I wasn’t sure if she was using my toothbrush!!!!

Pics: Bird on hotel property, new friends from my small group, fellow South africans!

Written on July 21st: A Humbling Breakfast

This morning I quickly made my way down to breakfast…I was late as it was hard to get myself out of bed after a restless night of sleep. I joined a table of diverse women and listened to their conversation while I sipped my coffee. Next to me was a fellow American named Amanda who has been teaching in Rwanda at an international school the past two years…at the end of the table was a woman named Eunice from Uganda, Doris an American who has lived in West Africa most of her life and Rebecca a female member of parliament from Liberia. The diversity of this table was typical to the gathering as a whole. The meal times have been the most fruitful experiences of this week…hearing the hearts and stories from so many around the continent. As the breakfast went on we began to discuss our countries…I had asked the woman from Liberia to tell me when their civil war started. She was sharing that the irony is that in 1979, Liberia was voted the most peaceful country in all of Africa…but one year later in 1980 all hell broke loose. The president was assassinated and his two sons were actually buried alive! Doris from the States began to tell about her personal relationship with the Liberian president’s daughter. They became good friends and prayer partners. It was only through this woman’s relationship with Jesus that she was able to find true forgiveness for all the horrible things that had happened to her family. Doris began to demonstrate the power of forgiveness in a simple visual at the table. Taking the scarf around her neck, she placed it around the neck of Eunice sitting next to her. Doris explained that when terrible things happen in our lives and there is unforgiveness between individuals…they are connected to those people just as the scarf was connecting these two women. But as Doris could forgive, not necessarily agreeing with the acts done, but recognizing God’s character and his role over justice…she drops the scarf end and is able to walk away. Yes the pain is still there and the scarf is still around the neck of Eunice, but Doris was now free to walk away. It was so simple, yet profound. At that moment I turned to look at the parliamentarian who had buried her face into her hands…this had been her war, her memories, her country. She then began to shake and cry deep tears of pain…pain that has gripped her life for so long. At that breakfast table in between the sobs she told how her husband had been murdered during the war and his killer was still alive in Liberia today causing havoc. Upon seeing this simple visual on forgiveness she knew deep in her heart that that was what she needed to do. The Holy Spirit is so powerful in the way he convicts and comforts our human hearts. At that point, Doris and Eunice took this broken woman who was ready to forgive her husband’s murderer to another room to pray. Amanda and I were left at the table, shocked and eyes full of tears. The other tables full of people talking and laughing had no idea of the profound situation that had just taken place. Later that evening Rebecca stood in front of the entire group of 250 people and testified that that moment of forgiveness, and letting go that happened that morning had changed her life. She said she physically felt lighter and was returning home to her family and her governmental position with a new message of the power of forgiveness.

A Day at the ‘Chrysalis’ Refugee Camp

Last Wednesday, Melisa and I, along with our friend Sue, headed out to one of the smaller refugee camps, where Sue has been volunteering the last 6 weeks since the xenophobic attacks broke out in the city. I had no idea what to expect. The families residing at this camp were housed in buildings belonging to the Chrysalis Leadership School. On arrival, we were stopped at a check point and got out to visit two women in a tent who have been selflessly serving hundreds of people for weeks. One woman from Canada had a laptop and was helping to type out résumés (all these refugees need jobs!)…and there was a line of men outside the tent waiting their turn to come in. Unemployment is a huge issue in this country and finding any paying job is a desperate cry for many individuals! After quick hellos, we went to find the children!!! As we headed up to the single mum’s dormitory…dozens of kids began to run out and embrace us. I sensed before coming that day, that what the kids would need most was attention, physical touch and LOVE! Any kid loves a hug and many of these dear children just wouldn’t let go. Soon we had a group of 20-30 kids around us and the next hour we just played games, sang songs and danced. These precious kids were so similar to my dear preschool students at home…loving Duck, Duck Goose, wanting to sit in your lap, wanting to play with your hair, wanting to play chase…wanting to be picked, wanting their turn, wanting to be heard…and wanting to be loved! The universal language of love with children is amazing! It was so easy for me to think that I have nothing to give…I cannot help their current situation, or put food in their mouths, or give their parents jobs….but, I know a MIGHTY GOD who can…and I trust in this God…and it is his love which can flow freely from my heart to love these kids in the way they needed to be loved for the few hours we were there. Sue had said it was a more chaotic day then normal, due to the fact that schools are currently on winter break so their was no schedule, just free play (and by the fact that they are only getting one or two small meals a day and extremely hungry). Chaotic it was!...many moments reminded me of my work at Sozo kids or even the rare day at preschool. One moment made me laugh as I felt completely powerless. I had a feisty one and a half year old in my arms who barely scratched an 8 year old clinging onto to my leg. In anger and jealousy the 8 year old dramatically screamed and smacked the young one in my arms on her leg! Then the little one year old smacked the 8 year old in the face!!!…both kids continued to fight in my arms while screaming and crying. I couldn’t contain them so I eventually just sat down in the dirt…one in each arm and squeezed them as I laughed through the tears. Oh Jesus, these dear ones are so angry, rejected, hurt, lonely and hungry (!)…please meet their needs! After lots of hugs and photos, we said our goodbyes and were planning to leave.

On our way out Sue was stopped by a guy named Rodriguez, who she had met weeks before at her church…he wanted to talk with someone. We went for a walk with him and heard a bit his story. Rodriguez is a young 23 year old Mozambique man. He came to Cape Town a few years ago to work and send money back to his family. He had been running a successful IT business in one of the local townships (repairing computers). During the xenophobic attacks everything was taken from him…his business and his home! He is now living and waiting in the refugee camp for work. He hasn’t been able to send money home in six weeks! Rodriguez wasn’t manipulating us to help him find a job…he was just so hopeless about life he needed someone to talk to. His story broke my heart! He is having a very hard time waiting…the process to find people jobs is taking weeks. He is board and said he would do anything to be working again. He has a great heart for Jesus which shines through his smile. He says his days are spent reading, praying and writing poetry….but day after day this gets so hopeless…he spoke with tears in his eyes and life draining out of his body. What could we do?…PRAY!…we prayed hard, that a door of opportunity would open soon and that his life would again be filled with hope and purpose. He comes to mind everyday and even as I write this letter my prayer is that Jesus has provided him with a job and a chance to use the skills he has been given. Do we realize how much our job is a blessing to us? We always complain that we are too busy…too tired…or discontent in our jobs. There are so many that are starving to use their minds and their hands for labor! Rodriguez was one man I met that afternoon that represents thousands of others in the city that are longing for opportunity, change….and hope!

All my love! Bryna

What I'm up to...

Ok…what am I doing here? Well I have an answer…somewhat…simply put, loving people! Monday was the first night of a two week discipleship school started by my friend Rene August. There were 15 women present between the ages of 18-40. We are learning how to grow in our own relationships with Christ, as well as encourage others around us. We will be meeting from 7-9am (worship, devotions), 9:30-11:30am (teaching), then 12-6pm (explore Cape Town, have fun, rest, drink coffee, hike…etc), 7-10pm (more teaching). What I love most about this group of gals that I have just met is that they represent the diversity that Cape Town holds… “whites, coloreds and blacks”. We have 3 lovely gals with us from local townships named Zimasa, Bongeka and Lindie. We laugh a lot together! They think I’m hilarious with my open American personality. I was laughing last night because they kept asking me “What singers I have seen in American and if I know Beyoncee?”…Rene explained to me that they literally think we walk streets with all the stars they hear of there. I smiled and told them I’ve been to a Bette Midler concert but they were not impressed:) Two of my best friends, Melisa from Tacoma…and Jess Comer from London are with me…we have laughed a lot! I have included a picture of Jess and I pretending we just saw a cheetah!

This week has some faith steps ahead…you can be praying for me. First of all I’m getting comfortable driving here! I am borrowing a manual car from some friends…and need to brush up on my skills and well as drive on the ‘other’ side! Dear Jess Comer is my driving instructor…and thankfully I’m getting the hang of it. Praise the Lord we can do all things through Christ! I will also be teaching this week too…I have volunteered to teach about ‘How to develop deep friendships’ and “Walking in obedience’…both of these things are dear to my heart!

It has been fascinating to learn more about the xenophobic attacks that hit the city nearly 5-6 weeks ago. Things have cooled down a bit, as people are slowly being reintegrated back in their communities. A friend Sue Gray (seen in the photo on the far left) was telling me about a about a Congolese family who had been staying with her mother. They had lived in their township nearly 2 years before the threats came and they fled. I guess they returned last week and were given basic household items from her mum…like a mattress, couch, etc…as everything had been stolen by their neighbors…the neighbors they had lived around for nearly 2 years! Sue is an amazing woman. Since the refugee’s displacement into churches and into camps, she has been volunteering with the children. Her heart has been to provide them with basic schooling and fun activities during the upheaval. I love her heart as it is so similar to mine and I’m excited to partner with her more! She has been going to one of the refugee camps everyday for the past 5 weeks. Melisa and I may join her for a quick visit later today.

Cape town is beautiful!!!...as you can see the photos below...yes it is winter here., although yesterday it was in the mid 70s! Many days have been sunny and I tell people this is just like our summers in Tacoma. Today though is overcast with rain...actually I'm used to both:)

Blessings…Bryna